Africa has the potential to become a significant player on the international scene and is at an exciting inflection point in the information technology (IT) industry. Africa has a younger, more active population than any other continent, with more than 1.4 billion people, more than 60 percent of whom are under the age of 25. Internet connectivity has grown rapidly across the continent, from 28 percent five years ago to 43 percent now, thanks to more affordable cellphones and better mobile networks, according to ITU 2025 projections. The African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association reports that the startup industry is also booming, attracting nearly $8 billion in investments last year. This essay presents a clear strategy for Africa to become a leader in IT. We cover five core areas: strong digital setup, skill building, fostering new ideas, smart policies, and new technology adoption. Using simple ideas and real insights, this roadmap offers practical steps to help Africa move from the edges of the digital world to its center, with a target of 15 percent of the global IT business by 2030.
Building a Strong Digital Setup: The Foundation of IT Success
If Africa wants to become a leader in IT it needs a solid digital foundation that can manage large numbers of people and data. Smart, cost-effective solutions that prioritize efficiency and the environment can solve issues like poor internet, power outages and overspending.
According to the 2024 GSMA report, new methods of mobile network construction could reduce costs by up to 40 percent. By combining devices from multiple manufacturers, these technologies enable businesses to deploy faster internet like 5G more quickly and affordably. It has the potential to connect an additional 900 million people by 2030, providing access to online services, smart gadgets and video chat in both urban and rural areas.
Satellite services can provide high-speed Internet in remote locations where most people live without the need for kilometers of cable. Combining this with local data processing accelerates key tasks like online health checks and agricultural supply tracking. Small data hubs powered by solar energy can operate reliably even in the absence of continuous energy, handling large amounts of data every day while saving on data transfers.
Large data centers are also important, as they aim to be energy efficient and environmentally friendly. They can halve power consumption by using better cooling and cleaner energy sources, as well as technologies that automatically adjust to workloads. Developing them to handle large amounts of data by 2030 will create a robust African online network that keeps information secure and local while meeting huge computing demands.
Together, these aspects – improved networks, satellite access and green data hubs – provide a resilient infrastructure that is resistant to weather and online threats, making Africa a preferred destination for digital services.
Growing Top IT Talent: From Learning to Creating
The World Bank expects Africa's 700 million youth to become 10 million skilled IT workers by 2030. This involves the use of innovative educational tools that reach everyone while focusing on real outcomes.
Learning platforms enabled by smart software can personalize lessons for each individual, analyzing how they study and perform to provide the optimal path. It triples the learning speed compared to traditional technologies, training one million developers every year in skills such as app development, internet security and smart systems. Running these on shared computing resources ensures quicker response and helps more people complete their courses.
Digital certificates created securely online make it easy to showcase talents anywhere in the world. Short training programs, such as three-month courses, allow participants to work on real-world projects while learning how to launch apps and automate operations. Graduates often earn 40 percent more and contribute to a $100 billion online job market.
Programs to reintegrate talented Africans living abroad provide tax incentives for their ideas as well as cheap employment opportunities in digital hubs. It intends to attract 100,000 experts who will share their knowledge on sophisticated topics. Adding virtual simulation to practice without real equipment helps create a capable group that is as strong as the best in the world, which already includes several free online initiatives.
Fostering a creative ecosystem: turning ideas into big wins
Going from ten major success stories in 2024 to 100 by 2030 will require technologies that accelerate new ideas. Secure testing areas for new apps in finance, health, and farming allow authors to experiment safely while keeping track of progress to ensure compliance with regulations.
New funding methods based on online communities could raise $1 billion per year with modest costs, allowing ordinary people to invest and vote on projects. This allows for more diverse creators and provides better returns than traditional investing.
Online sharing spaces, which now number 50, contribute to the development of local language tools such as voice assistants for half a billion users. In Nigeria, where thousands of new companies are receiving billions of dollars in capital, mobile apps and secure data systems are driving growth, software exports are projected to add 20 percent to the economy by 2030.
These tools make the process easier: safely testing ideas, securing finance online, and scaling through shared networks, resulting in hits of scale faster than anywhere else.
Policies and leadership: supporting secure development
Long-term success requires good regulations, with a focus on keeping data local and deploying technology fairly. The need for most data to remain in Africa with strong security processes facilitates the secure exchange of information across borders for activities such as online shopping.
A continent-wide guide to smart technology establishes impartial criteria, audits annually for biases and imposes fines on major rule breakers. The $50 billion fund, chaired by African leaders, invests in secure online systems that protect against future threats and has already invested in hundreds of new ventures this year.
Leading the way in new technology: Africa moving forward
To remain competitive, Africa must focus on online communities, smart systems, advanced computing, and the combination of technology and biology. Smart farming tools use satellite imagery and ground data to help millions of smallholder farmers increase their crop yields by 25 percent. Automated settlements in online trading systems reduce limit problems by up to one third.
Investing in superfast computing solves difficult problems faster. Working with global partners on the next generation Internet, the goal is to achieve superfast speeds for applications such as 3D meetings by 2030. It aims to have full-speed internet by 2026, one million smart tech professionals by 2028, $100 billion in sales by 2030 and the top spot in smart tech by 2035, thanks to new wireless and brain-like chips.
Challenges and Solutions
With 600 million people without electricity, new high-efficiency solar installations could power thousands of local networks. To combat growing online threats, hardened security layers protect critical components. Eco-friendly loans, which have already raised billions of dollars this year, have the potential to address the $80 billion in annual financing deficit.
Conclusion: Africa's rise in IT
The plan positions Africa to achieve $500 billion in IT revenues by 2030, creating 20 million jobs through collaborative efforts and significant investments. Early wins show it's possible. Leaders should initiate network testing; New ventures should participate in language projects; And funders should support online investing. Africa's digital future looks bright.
About the author
Olatunde Olasehan is an experienced IT engineer with almost a decade of experience in IT infrastructure, cyber security and IT operations. He has designed and secured resilient systems in industries such as telecommunications and IT service delivery. Passionate about turning complex IT challenges into actionable solutions, Olatunde helps businesses improve cybersecurity and operational efficiency.
